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1 in 3 young people in detention has alcohol related brain damage

About a third of young people in youth detention in Western Australia have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), preliminary data from the Telethon Kids Institute has shown.

Researchers are presenting the initial data from the Banksia Hill Project at an international conference in Canada on Friday March 3 (Australian time).

The Banksia Hill Project is the first study in Australia to assess and diagnose young people in a youth custodial facility for FASD.

Researchers have spent the past two years assessing over 100 young people (95 per cent of whom were male) at Banksia Hill Detention Centre, Western Australia’s only detention centre for offenders aged 10 to 17 years.

While researchers are only in the preliminary stages of data analysis, early results show between 30 and 40 per cent of young people assessed have FASD, a neurodevelopmental disorder caused when an unborn child is exposed to alcohol in the womb.

Head of the study, Professor Carol Bower, said the results were incredibly valuable and would help researchers, government, health professionals and justice workers develop a framework to help these young people.

"These young people have debilitating and life-long neurodevelopmental impairments, which affect their ability to function in society, through no fault of their own," Professor Bower said.

"Now that we know how big the problem is in young people in detention, we can work towards developing strategies to help them while they are in detention, when they leave, and ideally before they reach detention in the first place."

Professor Bower said the research, which was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), would not have been possible without the support of the WA Department of Corrective Services and Department for Child Protection and Family Support.

"Both departments have been incredibly proactive on this issue," Professor Bower said.

"They have not only enabled the research to take place by giving us access to the detention centre, but they have shown great interest in the outcomes and a willingness to be a part of the solution."

"We are enormously grateful to these departments and other services, staff at Banksia Hill, the young people and their families and carers, and members of our reference and steering groups."

Deputy Commissioner, Youth Justice Services, Rachael Green from Department of Corrective Services welcomed the release of preliminary data from the study."We recognise many young people in our care at Banksia Hill Detention Centre have complex lives, and for the first time we now have information about the proportion who suffer from FASD and other neurodevelopmental impairments," she said.

"An impairment like FASD affects a young person’s ability to process instructions or understand the consequences of their actions, which impacts their behaviour and the effectiveness of our youth justice programs."

"This study by the Telethon Kids Institute is invaluable to our work, as it includes the development of training materials to help our youth justice team adopt more effective strategies and techniques for working with young people with FASD and other neurological impairments."

"By understanding young people’s individual strengths and challenges, and knowing the most effective way of working with them, we have a much better chance of reducing their reoffending and supporting them to go on and live productive lives in the community," Ms Green said.

About FASD:

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is characterised by severe neurodevelopmental impairment resulting from an unborn child's exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. The effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are life-long and may not be seen at birth. Problems include brain damage leading to delayed development, social, behavioural and learning problems. These can lead to secondary outcomes such as poor school performance, unemployment, substance abuse, mental health problems and early engagement with the justice system.